Will Power Finally Wins an Indy 500 as Danica Patrick Says Goodbye

INDIANAPOLIS — Will Power took the lead with 10 miles to go and held on to win a hot, treacherous 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, a race in which Danica Patrick concluded her career with a disappointing crash.

The victory for Power, 37, the sport’s most accomplished road-course and street-course racer, ended more than a decade of frustration for him at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s oval layout. Power delivered the 17th Indy 500 victory for the team owner Roger Penske; his victory here in the Indy Grand Prix this month was the storied team’s 200th in the sport.

“I was wondering if I would ever win it,” Power said, after pouring the traditional quart of cold milk over his head. “My career, I’ve had so many wins and poles. But everyone always talked about me not winning the 500. I just couldn’t quite imagine ever winning it — especially in front of a crowd like this.”

Power, a native Australian now living in America, qualified third and ran among the leaders for the entire race. He finished 3.5 seconds ahead of top qualifier Ed Carpenter, followed by past 500 winners Scott Dixon, Alexander Rossi and Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Patrick, 36, who started seventh in the field of 33, ran mid-pack with an ill-handling car. She finally lost control of her car a third of the way through the event, and slammed into the wall.

“It just kind of swung around when I got back in the throttle,” Patrick said. “I wasn’t expecting it by any means. These cars are tough to drive. Definitely not a great ending.”

Patrick, who was unhurt, added “I kind of said before I came here that I feel like if it is a complete disaster — complete like as in I’m not in the ballpark at all and look silly, then people may remember that. And if I win, people will remember that. But probably anything in between might just be a little part of a bigger story. So I kind of feel like that’s how it is, you know.”

Danica Patrick, running the final race of her career, crashed on lap 68. CreditGreg Huey/Associated Press

The lead changed hands a record 15 times, speedway officials announced. Power’s average speed was 217.575 miles per hour. He improved as the race progressed, running laps as fast as 223 m.p.h. in the final stages, as he tried to chase down the surprise leaders Oriol Servia and Stefan Wilson.

The race started under mostly clear skies, with muggy 91-degree temperatures — the second hottest 500 weather in history. Carpenter led the first 150 miles, with Team Penske’s Power and his three teammates in close pursuit. They were all powered by Chevrolet engines, while the fastest Honda was Bourdais in fifth.

Patrick, in another Chevrolet, was running laps five or more m.p.h. slower than the leaders, and she gradually fell back to 12th, then 17th before her crash on lap 68. She was scored 30th, her worst result in eight races here since 2005. She had finished as high as third in 2009, and made history by leading laps in the storied event.

Patrick, who had announced before this race that it would be her last, said, “I’ve had some great moments here, and I won’t ever forget it, and I won’t forget the fans, that’s for sure.”

Despite a strong qualifying effort, it was clear from the start that Patrick’s car wasn’t optimally tuned for the muggy weather conditions. Her teammate Carpenter’s setup was much better, which contributed to his early lead.

Power, who led the event several times, and was generally among the top three, was by no means assured of the victory as the final laps played out. Servia and Wilson, both dark horse contenders, had hoped to stretch their mileage to make it to the end, but ended up having to make late pit stops as a result of Power pouring it on and forcing them to burn what fuel they had left in a vain attempt to stay in front of him.

“I was thinking, ‘I just have to get these guys; I don’t know how much fuel they have left,’” said Power, who was fourth when the race went back to full speed racing, following the cleanup of Kanaan’s crash. “But this is the restart of my life.”

After he passed one car, and then Servia and Wilson pitted, Power realized, “I think I’m going to win this. With one to go I was like screaming: Like, ‘Man, I’ve got this!’ Unbelievable.”

“Will didn’t win just because he ran a smart race,” Roger Penske said. “He won because he was the best driver out there today.”

Power noted that it was a good day for Aussies; his friend and countryman Daniel Ricciardo won the Monaco Grand Prix earlier.

A version of this article appears in print on , Section D, Page 4 of the New York edition with the headline: A Star of Street Courses Wins the Indy 500 at Last. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe